School District 20 students should get report cards in April once the province’s back-to-work legislation is passed, but teachers say those report cards will not be retroactive.
Kootenay Columbia Teachers Union representative Andy Davidoff said teachers will begin the process of issuing report cards once they are back at work Monday, March 26.
However, it is unlikely those cards will reflect the entire year as Education Minister George Abbott’s recent suggestion inferred.
“What we are doing is we are saying, ‘No, we will not be doing struck work,’” said Davidoff.
Teachers have refused to fill out report cards since their limited job action began last September, but Bill 22 stipulates teachers are required to give the evaluations.
Without retroactive marks it would mean high school students on a semester system may not get any marks for courses already completed.
Bill 22 is still being debated in the B.C. legislature, but indications are it could still pass by March 16. Once passed, it would outlaw any job action by teachers until Aug. 31 and a mediator would be appointed — but wage demands would not be dealt with in the mediation.
The government has refused to consider a wage increase, while teachers are asking for a 15-per-cent increase over three years.